Help! Mandated water/natural gas meter replacement?
I don't know what to think of this, and I've not encountered anyone locally who is experiencing this. Please weigh in with your opinions, ideas, etc... :)
We live in NH, and on Dec. 8th, received a letter from our municipal water works department stating that our water meter needs to be "exchanged." Then today, Dec. 10th, we received a phone message from National Grid that our natural gas meter needs to be replaced (according to Massachusetts law, they say- but we live in NH!).
We bought this house five years ago, and each year we have reduced our water/sewer use and gas use (and electric) through increasingly frugal measures. We also started off by using 50% less resources than the previous owners, who were energy hogs, apparently.
This morning I went around the 'hood and asked neighbors who have lived here before we purchased our house if they received these letters and calls, and they have not.
I've uploaded the scanned Water Works letter here (I am trying to obtain an actual letter from National Grid for the gas meter issue):
http://i38.tinypic.com/2ur3yok.jpg
Part of the text which really raised alarm was, "If deficient or substandard plumbing is encountered, it will, however, be your responsibility to make the necessary corrections."
At the risk of sounding paranoid, I wonder if we are being targeted because we are being frugal with energy resources? Also, I especially oppose the premise that, once we allow any city employee into our home to "exchange" the water meter, anything they find to be "deficient or substandard" will need to be repaired/replaced by us- surely with time limits and fines attached.
Our water and gas bills make perfect "cents" to us: we have been monitoring our usage for years and have been very efficient in our non-use of these resources. That these usage fees have gone down a hefty percentage each year for us is a testament to our voluntary monitoring and frugal use. We have not messed with or even touched our meters. I think we are being penalized for our frugality. And conversely, if we all of a sudden used 50% more water and electricity in a month, would we be raided for operating a marijuana grow-house?
Yes, we have called the respective utilities and we have received no answers, only runaround. We have the meter model #'s, they are modern and supposedly excellent meters- as espoused by the respective companies. They are considered more modern and accurate than most of our neighbors' meters, in fact.
Oh, and here is something my spouse wanted me to add: We did not allow the appraisal "team" into our home two years back, even after we received a "strongly worded letter" about allowing them into our home.
I am hoping that someone on DP has gone through this, or knows someone... and can offer some guidance. This all really, really stinks. Especially in NH!
Yep they just want to check
Yep they just want to check and see if your stealing energy since you have cut your bill so low. Tell them to take a hike.
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Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats. H. L. Mencken
Get Prepared!
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End The Fat
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this is not a big deal.
very few people have any clue about these things. let them change the meter. if you can tell me what code book they use, I can answer questions as to your liability for upgrades to facilitate the new meter.
typically you are only reponsible for what is "downstream" of the meter.
" the important thing is to never stop questioning, curiousity, has it's own reason for existing..
Albert Einstien
Knowledge is power, action is love.
It's super simple to bypass a water meter
a solenoid valve set for a few days a week can really take a nice chunk out of your water bill.
Explore Orthodox Christianity
really?
would it be normally open? or closed? how would you energize the coil? a timer? 7 day timers are expensive.......
" the important thing is to never stop questioning, curiousity, has it's own reason for existing..
Albert Einstien
Knowledge is power, action is love.
ok, the solenoid was just a thought, I used lever style valves
on my set-up.
Explore Orthodox Christianity
I would fight it.
First off, check your neighbors meters, are they the same meters? Continue to stay in contact with them on this matter. Keep asking them if they have recieved notice to change out their meters. If the utility company contines to refuse to discuss the issue with you, I would consult with an attorney, make sure it's one who is not affiliated or has ever represented your utility company. You may have to go outside of your town to acomplish this. Do not allow these people into your home, under any circumstances. I dont believe it is a frugal matter. We are living in different times now, these companies can and will comply with the government if needed to do so.
Gotcha
Thanks, I'll continue to ask around my neighborhood. So far, the surrounding 6 homes (all built within 5 years of my home ~1970) have the same exact (updated in the last 5-8 years) water meters outside their homes. In the meantime, I will keep pressing my providers for details, and also review the NH utilities commission regulations.
I am not about to allow anyone into my home for these purposes. I think that whole "at NO COST to you" line in the Water Works letter must be a real seller for the company. But, I come from that old "you get what you pay for"/ "no free lunch" school, LOL!
PGE...
also came by and left a note saying they wanted to change our meter for a new one that they can read by satellite. My husband said no. Also a few months ago, (PGE again) was sending literature on wanting to install some gadget on the air conditioning unit so that they would be able during the summer reduce the energy going to it during high peak times or when there was a threat of rolling blackouts due to high demand. Hey, they would even send you 10 dollars if you did it. Said I would not sell my freedom for any amount.
Also this is the state (California) that was proposing to have all residents install a thermostat in homes that the state would be able to control by remote.
Ridiculous!
Mima, thanks for adding your story. What, if anything, has occurred since you refused their offer of a "new" meter?
Nothing...
so far. This was about 6 weeks ago.
Oh NO
That is why I, a fifth generation Californian, jumped ship 3-1/2 years ago. That is totally insane.
Healthnut4freedom
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5,6
Healthnut4freedom
The lip of truth shall be established forever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment...Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are His delight. Prov 12:19,22
alternateing current.
"ac" power, cannot be stored. it has to be created and consumed instantaneously.[sp?] the problem with this fact, is that we all like to get up and go to bed at about the same time.
WE not they.....have to ramp up and down generators to compensate for "demand" usage. voltage is pressure.
" the important thing is to never stop questioning, curiousity, has it's own reason for existing..
Albert Einstien
Knowledge is power, action is love.
No doubt compliance will be mandatory
sometime in the future.
R3VOLution
you've sent up the flags
utility companies run their billing thru a program that looks for radical changes in use patterns. this is supposed to help find leaks and fraud. they want to know if you have turned your meter around to run backwards. they will also be checking for evidence of illegal behavior, such as pot farming.
The Plumber
The Plumber
They think your meter is broken
Because of your excellent conservation measures, The utility company doesn't believe the meter reading. They think the meter is underreporting actual usage.
They believe a new meter will show more usage so they can bill you more (and for past underreported usage)
We had the water meter at my mother in laws house replaced once. But it had stopped counting gallons of water. In Sunny California, our water meters are outside between the street and sidewalk. No danger of freezing.
As far as letting the utility worker access to your meter, just make sure that nothing they see is of any interest to your local cop.
Deficient plumbing probably means if your rotted galvanized pipes break when they remove the meter, they'll make you repair the pipe.
Steve
Nothing to hide
Nothing to hide if we allowed them access to our basement, except an abundance of stored FOOD and some really bad art. But I don't want to broach that headache of food "hoarding" at all...
Yet given that the government employee who comes into my house is likely going to be looking for this stuff? Oh heck no! That is just the deal breaker!
I am thinking like you are- that they don't normally see meter readings like ours for 2600 sq ft homes in the area, so they believe the meters must be "broken." Our plumbing/pipes are all quite new/quality (meaning, copper is new *and* quality, while PVC is just "new" LOL).
I forgot to add, as of three years ago we employ two high-capacity rain barrel systems for outdoor plant watering and car/window washing.
Or they think you've figured out how to *rig* it
Kudos to you for being able to live so frugally that you raised a red flag.
R3VOLution
You're not paranoid
http://www.infowars.com/?p=3051&cp=6
Utility Workers Hired As Stasi Informants In Colorado, California, Arizona
Paul Joseph Watson / Prison Planet | July 2, 2008
Hundreds of police, firefighters, paramedics and utility workers have been trained and recently dispatched as “Terrorism Liaison Officers” in Colorado, Arizona and California to watch for “suspicious activity” which is later fed into a secret government database.
(article cont'd)
On a personal note our Cable guys did unexpectedly stop by one day even though there was no problem with our cable and do something to our phone line and cable line. I don't know what they did, but it wasn't necessary and I didn't ask them about it because this was before I read the above article.
Some gas and water meters can be read remotely so no one has to go inside and verify the meter usage.
http://killfiat.blogspot.com/
http://killfiat.blogspot.com/
Meter readings
jshowell wrote, "Some gas and water meters can be read remotely so no one has to go inside and verify the meter usage. "
That's how our meters are configured: a small black HDPE box on the side of the house, the meter reader attaches their hand-held meter to it... done in 10 seconds. As I said, it's pretty modern - so I don't understand why ours is being singled out for "exchange."
I'm reading the links you supplied, thank you very much!